As we enter a new decade, we would like to reflect on the last one.  The Virginia Horse Trials embarked on a major undertaking in hosting International competitions at the beautiful Virginia Horse Center in Lexington and the semi-annual “Fest” series shows grew, not only in participation but in the number of new sites.

The International levels thrived at first but when the FEI first started fiddling with the rules and then dropped the traditional “long format” the majority of the riders lost interest in the “real” three-day and the entries went down significantly. The economy struggled towards the end of the decade, but people with horses still “carried on”, and competed albeit at a more local level which made the Fest shows all very much fun and quite a bit more competitive.

None of us know what the next ten years will bring us; maybe some more Chronicle of the Horse ATC’s but probably no NAJYRC’s, maybe some USEA Area 2 Championships but no International ones. What we do know is that along with the local farms/stables and the Virginia Horse Center we can introduce more young riders to equestrian activities as well as provide quality competitions to adult amateurs and professionals alike.

Two new endeavors this year that we expect to become increasingly more popular are The National  Classic Three Day Preliminary competition to be run in May with the cross country over the fabulous Oak Hill property at the Virginia Horse Center, and the Maury River Hunter Trials to be held at the beginning of April also at the Horse Center.